Improvement in cotton-gins



2'Sheets--Sheet L Patented Nov. 28,3871.

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A %u ma AM FHOTD-LITNDGWAPHIL 0. 11 XI 035009153 PROCESS] WILLIAM L.-HENDERSON. Improvement m Cotton Gms 75555: I l I.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFrroE.

WILLIAM LINDSAY HENDERSON, 'OF OOMBAWATTEE, THE BERARS, WESTERN INDIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN COTTON-GINS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 121,365, dated November 28, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LINDSAY HEN- DERSON, of Gomrawattee, The Berars, Western India, have invented an Improvement in Cotton- Gins; and do hereby declare that the following description, taken in connection with the accom- 7 ing a revolving leather-covered roller in contact with which is a fixed blade or knife, such as are used in the Macarthy gin and in gins similar in construction ther'eto ,and consists in combining with such rollers and fixed blade or knife areciprocating-blade oi knife formed with alternate ribs or bars and spaces, which ribs or bars and spaces have a more orless angular or oblique position relative to the axis of the roller. Such blade or knife is arranged closely in front of the roller and the edge of the fixed blade, and has a reciprocating motion imparted to it in a direction at or about a right angle to the axis of the roller. The Kuppas or seed cotton, being caught be tween the revolving roller and fixed blade, is drawn through the oblique openings of the re ciprocating knife until the seed touches the fixed blades where it is held, while at the same time the oblique ribs or bars of the reciprocating knife in moving to and fro act on the seed, pushing it also to and fro, and at the same time giving it a revolving motion, thus presenting all sides of the seed to the revolving roller and enabling it to seize the fiber most effectually, thereby cleaning the seed thoroughly. The length of the openings and bars of the reciprocating knife and the length of the travel or stroke thereof are such that the roller is always exposed to the seed-cotton. The reciprocating knife may be made to work either vertically up and down or horizontally, or at any angle, according to the position which is given to the fixed blade. When it works vertically it ispreferred to connect it to a radius bar or bars, turning on'a fixed center, and receiving the requisite reciprocating motion from a crank, eccentric, or cam, rotated by the same mechanism that drives the roller. When the knife works horizontally it is preferred to arrange it to move between guides or other equivalents so as to keep it close to the fixed blade. In this case it may be actuated by connecting-rods from the aforesaid cranks, eccentrics, or cams.

The reciprocating knife, with angular or oblique bars or ribs and spaces, may be variously constructed; thus it may be made by cutting the angular or oblique openings out of a metal plate so as to have angular or oblique bars between the openings, or oblique bars may be fixed at the requisite angle and at certain distances apart across an oblique frame, or the bars may be made to project obliquely from a plate at one end thereof.

On the accompanying drawing is shown the construction of my before-described improved diagonal knife, which I prefer to employ, as applied to a Macarthy cotton-gin.

Figure 1 shows atransversesection of the gin. Fig. 2 shows a front elevation of the leather roller, fixed knife, and reciprocating diagonal knife; and Fig. 3 shows a front view of the diagonal knife detached.

A is the leather roller, and B is the fixed knife, which, together with all other parts of the ginwith the exception of my improved diagonal knifeare constructed as the ordinary Macarthy gin, and require no further description. In place of the ordinary reciprocating knife or beater of the Macarthy gin is substituted the improved diagonal knife 0, connected to the radius rods D, working on centers at E, and receiving a vertical reciprocating motion close in front of the fixed knife B by means of connecting-rods F, actuated by cranks, cams, or eccentrics in a similar manner to the ordinary beater ofthe Macarthy gin. The diagonal knife 0 is formed of a metal frame, 0, with an opening in shape of a parallelogram, as shown, in which frame is fixed a number of diagonal or oblique ribs or bars, 0 c leaving spaces 0 0 between them. The width of the openings and the angle of the ribs or bars may be varied to suit the speed atwhich the gin is to be driven, and the nature of the kuppas or seedcotton, which has to be cleaned. The seed-cotton being caught between the revolving-roller A and fixed knife B, is drawn through the oblique openings of the knife 0 untilthe seed touches the fixed knife B, and is held thereljby the roller A, when, by the reciprocating motion imparted to the knife 0 at a tangent to the roller, the ribs or bars 0 are caused to act upon the seed, pushing it up and down, and at the same time giving it a revolving motion, thus presenting all sides of the seeds to the revolving roller, and enabling it to seize the fiber most effectually and clean the seed thoroughly. The length of the openings in the knife and the length of its travel or stroke are so arranged that the seed-cotton can, in all positions of the knife, pass through its openings to the roller. By the employment of my improved diagonal knife a considerably greater quantity of cotton is delivered by the gin in a given time, and with a less expenditure of power, than with the ordinary cotton-gins of this de seription.

Having thus described the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction of the improved diagonal knife shown on the accompanying drawing, nor to any particular angle or width of the opening or number of bars or ribs, as these may be variously modified, as here inbefore mentioned; nor do I limit myself to the application thereof to the construction of cottongin shown; but

hat I claim is In cotton gins of the class above-described, a reciprocating knife, G, having alternate diagonal or oblique ribs and openings, in combination with a revolving-roller and fixed knife, and 0p erative substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses this 14th day of July, 1871.

W. L. HENDERSON. [L. s]

Witnesses:

JAS. MILVILLE, MORRAY WITTOBE. 

